Two Pick up Petitions to Run for Alderman in Dowelltown

February 10, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A mayor and two aldermen will be elected in Dowelltown on August 6.

Two persons James C. (Chris) Walker and Phillip D. Byford have picked up a petition from the election commission to run for alderman in Dowelltown.

The qualifying deadline is noon on April 2.

February 10, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

A man has been charged with aggravated assault after allegedly pulling a gun as a woman and her two children arrived home last week.

71 year old Bennie Ted Evans of Cookeville Highway, Smithville is under a $5,000 bond and he will be in court February 27.

Sheriff Patrick Ray said that on February 2 as the woman drove into the parking spot in front of her home on Cookeville Highway, Evans approached and started an argument with her. The woman’s 12 and 15 year old daughters were also in the vehicle. Evans allegedly put his hands on the door as the woman tried to exit the vehicle, drew a .22 caliber Beretta from his holster, and pointed the gun toward the car. No one was injured.

A Cookeville couple has been charged with stealing a credit card and two handguns from a DeKalb County residence.

33 year old Jeremy Scott Gordon and 19 year old Selena Martha Shellenbarger are each charged with fraudulent use of a credit card and two counts of theft. Bond for each is $10,000 and they will make a court appearance on February 27.

Sheriff Ray said that on December 26 Gordon and Shellenbarger allegedly stole a credit/debit card from a residence on Dobbs Cemetery Road along with a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson and a .38 caliber Rossi handgun. They allegedly used the stolen credit/debit card taking $1,019.26.

29 year old Kayla Nicole Adams was issued a citation on February 6 for simple possession of marijuana. Her court date is February 20. Sheriff Ray said that during a probation search at Adams’ home on Jacobs Pillar Road, officers found less than a gram of marijuana by the television in the living room. It weighed 0.3 grams.

41 year old James Ricky Ashford, Jr. of Delong Road, Smithville is charged with violation of the sex offender law. His bond is $10,000 and he will make a court appearance February 13.

Sheriff Ray said that on February 4 officers learned that Ashford had been living at a home on Eckles Heights Street in Liberty since Christmas in violation of the sex offender registry since it is not listed as his primary or secondary residence.

20 year old Robert Stephen Derrick of Toad Road, Smithville is charged with assault. His court date is February 20.

Sheriff Ray said that on January 31 Derrick, a prisoner at the jail, kicked a correctional officer in the upper thigh during an altercation with him.

February 9, 2020
By: Dwayne Page

Early voting begins Wednesday, February 12 for the March 3 primaries

The Tennessee Presidential Preference Primaries will be held across the state for both the Democratic and Republican parties while locally the DeKalb County Democratic Primary will be held along with a primary for a special judgeship election.

Voters will be going to the polls to select their preference for President, the Republican nominee for Criminal Court Judge Part II, and the Democratic party nominees for Assessor of Property and Constable in 6 of the 7 districts.

Early Voting begins February 12 and runs through February 25 (with no voting on February 17, President’s Day). All early voting will be conducted at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Smithville. Early voting hours (available at www.dekalbelections.com) are: Mondays 1-5; Tuesdays 9-1; Wednesdays 9-1; Thursdays 2-6; Fridays 9-1; and Saturdays 9-Noon.

There are 3 Republican candidates for President and 15 Democratic candidates.

The following candidates will be on the March 3 ballot:
Republican Primary Ballot
• Donald J. Trump
• Joe Walsh
• Bill Weld

Democratic Primary Ballot
• Michael Bennet
• Joseph R. Biden
• Michael R. Bloomberg
• Cory Booker
• Pete Buttigieg
• Julián Castro
• John K. Delaney
• Tulsi Gabbard
• Amy Klobuchar
• Deval Patrick
• Bernie Sanders
• Tom Steyer
• Elizabeth Warren
• Marianne Williamson
• Andrew Yang

In addition, the Republican Party selects its delegates to the GOP National Convention and there are 29 at-large candidates with all but five committed to President Donald Trump and voters can vote for up to 14 of those candidates. There are eight 6th district delegate candidates with all but two committed to Trump. Voters can vote for up to three in that race. The Democratic Party chooses its delegates by a different method.

Republican Wesley Bray is unopposed in his bid to fill the unexpired term for Criminal Court Judge Part II District 13. No candidate qualified on the Democratic side.

Locally, Democrat Tom R. Duggin is unopposed in his bid to be the party’s nominee for Assessor of Property on March 3. By caucus, the Republican Party chose Shannon Cantrell to be its nominee in August. Both Duggin and Cantrell will be running against each other in the DeKalb County General Election on August 6.

Six constables are unopposed in their bid to represent the Democratic Party for Constable. They are Waylon Kyle in the 1st District, Darrell Johnson in District 2, Paul Cantrell in District 4, Mark Milam in District 5, Jason Brown in District 6 and Johnny King in District 7. No Democratic candidate qualified in District 3. The Republican Party, by caucus, chose Travis Bryant as its Constable nominee in District 3.